How's Your Happiness Gene?

Hello! Hope you all had labor-free weekend and got some much needed rest and relaxation. Lots of excitement around here - after much encouragement from so many of you, I got my newsletters into a workbook format that has been published and will be available next week! The title is Called Into Motion...Lesson Plans for Life and I am anxious to have each of you get a copy, make some brave discoveries and changes,  and give me your feedback; particularly after you read today's post...

I read this article on Newsmax Health August 30, 2012. www.newsmaxhealth.com

"Scientists say they've discovered a happiness gene that may explain why women tend to be more chipper than their male counterparts.

It's called MAOMA, or monoamine oxidase A, which, surprisingly, has also been related to negative behaviors like alcoholism, aggressiveness and antisocial behavior, says a team of US scientists.

But in their study, the researchers found that the same, low-activity form of the gene was also associated with higher self-reported happiness in women. Results were published in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry and released this week. 

Overall, while women experience higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders, they also tend to report greater life happiness than men, the study pointed out.

To investigate why this may be, scientists from the University of South Florida, Columbia University, the National Institutes of Health and the New York State Psychiatric Institute examined the role of MAOA. The gene works by regulating an enzyme which breaks down the brain's ‘feel-good' chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. The low-expression version of MAOA allows larger amounts of these neurotransmitters to stay in the brain and boost mood.

A total of 345 subject participated in the study, of which 193 were women and 152 were men. DNA samples were taken to analyze for MAOA gene variation, and participants were asked to rate their levels of happiness. 

Where the study becomes interesting, however, is that men who carried the same "happy" gene were no more content than those who didn't carry it.

One possible explanation is that testosterone may cancel out the positive effects of the MAOA gene, researchers theorize.

"Maybe men are happier before adolescence because their testosterone levels are lower," surmised lead author Henian Chen.

Meanwhile, authors of another study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies in 2008 found that while women may start out happier in life, men often catch up, overtaking them on the happiness scale during the later stages of life.

The main reason? Unfulfilled life goals, researchers said."

 Certainly, we are aware of the role of hormones in mood and health. Psychologist Erik Erikson developed 8 stages of development from infancy to late adulthood. The stage from (approximately) age 40-64 is Generativity vs. Stagnation and is concerned with life impact and legacy. Does my life matter? Have (or can) I make an impact on society and future generations? Have I been successful and productive? If we don't see our lives in a positive light - if we haven't accomplished the goals we set out to - we tend toward stagnation and a sense of despair.

What do you think? Some questions that come to mind for me:

 - Do men and women use the same internal/thought measures for happiness?

Studies show that married men are more optimistic and live longer than their single counterparts.

 - Do women sacrifice a level of happiness for the man in their lives? If so how?

 - How do societal, personal, religious expectations play into a happiness decline for women?

 - What contributes to greater mood and anxiety disorders, yet overall higher happiness ratings for     

     women?

 - What keeps women from fulfilling their life goals?

 - Does the aging process (physical/biological) affect female happiness differently than men? Come 

    on all you medical people - help us understand this!

Tom Rath and Donal O. Clifton, with Gallup,  developed an assessment of 34 personal strengths that has been given to over 10 million people world-wide. Fewer than one third "strongly agree'" with the statement:

"At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day."

 - How does happiness correlate with work satisfaction?

 - How does happiness correlate with using our innate gifts? Or not using them?

This is kind of a long post, but it is fascinating - and important I think! Please post your thoughts. Let's unpack this a little. Stay tuned for Called Into Motion. Working through the lessons will shed

some light on this for you. I am always available to help you ask the right questions and reach those life goals! Call or e-mail me to explore how coaching can move you in the direction you REALLY want to go.

Blessings,

Beth